Airbag device

Abstract

An airbag device including an airbag that provides more effective protection of an occupant. The airbag has an indentation located approximately in the center of a contact surface thereof. The indentation is formed in the shape of a recess or a valley to form the airbag into a heart-like shape. The area including the indentation is at least greater than an area where comes in contact with the face of an occupant. The deepest point of the dent (the farthest point from the occupant in the contact surface) is positioned below the jaw of the occupant. The contact surface extending from the deepest point of the dent to the upper projection top thereof overhangs toward the occupant to have an angle between 0° and 45° (preferably, between 15° and 25°) relative to the cervical vertebrae axis of the occupant.

1. An airbag for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, the airbag being housed in an instrument panel of the vehicle and comprising:
 a front fabric panel configured so that when the airbag is inflated the front panel faces the occupant, the front panel having upper and lower portions, wherein the upper portion of the front panel of the airbag is positioned to contact the face of the occupant when the airbag is inflated in the case of an emergency; 
 a rear panel having an opening for receiving inflation gas into a chamber formed by the front and rear panels; and 
 a seam connecting the rear panel to the front panel, 
 wherein the airbag includes a gathered portion that extends into the chamber to form an indentation, 
 wherein the gathered portion includes stitching to form the indentation, and 
 wherein the gathered portion is positioned in the front panel between the upper and lower portions of the front panel. 
 
     
     
       2. The airbag of  claim 1 , wherein the stitching runs generally horizontally between the upper and lower portions of the front panel. 
     
     
       3. The airbag of  claim 2 , wherein the gathered portion is located only in the front panel.